A businessman from Alwar’s Khairthal who was shot dead late on Friday, was on Saturday cremated in the presence of the members of business community and political leaders

jaipurUpdated: Mar 10, 2018 21:58 IST

HT Correspondent Hindustan Times, Alwar

Mukesh Kumar Agarwal, owner of a provision store in Khairthal in Rajasthan’s Alwar, was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants when he was returning home after closing his shop on Friday. (Representative Picture/AFP File Photo. )

A businessman from Alwar’s Khairthal who was shot dead late on Friday, was on Saturday cremated in the presence of the members of business community and political leaders.

Angry traders demanded the arrest of culprits while BJP legislators questioned the breakdown of law and order in the state.

The opposition Congress, too has threatened to launch a district-wide agitation if the culprits are not arrested within the next 48 hours.

As a mark of respect to the slain trader, shops and business centres in Behror, Tijara, Kishangarhbas Mundawar, Khairthal and Alwar remained closed for the day.

Alwar superintendent of police Rahul Prakesh said Mukesh Kumar Agarwal, owner of a provision store in Khairthal was returning home after closing his shop when a couple of motorcycle-borne people tried to snatch the bag he was carrying and another accomplice shot him from close range.

“While a bullet struck him in his shoulder and the other on his thigh and the assassins fled with the bag after firing a few rounds in the air,” he said.

The incident took place at 8.15 pm, police said.

Local BJP legislator Ramhet Yadav, however, claimed that the assassin’s target a neighbouring shop owner, who had returned home after closing his shop.

Soon as the news of the killing spread, angry residents pelted stones at the police and also stopped a number of trains by blockading the railway track, police said.

Police, however, managed to bring the situation under control.

Agarwal was rushed to a hospital in Alwar where doctor declared him brought dead, police said, adding that the body was handed over to his family members after an autopsy.

Members of the business community handed over a memorandum to the Alwar superintendent of police Rahul Prakash, demanding arrest of the culprits.

Prakesh assured that police will arrest the culprits soon.

BJP legislator from Kishangarhbas (Khairthal ) Ramhet Yadav said that if the police are unable to catch the culprits within the next 48 hours, then the government should transfer the station house officer of the Khairthal police station and the Alwar superintendent of police.

BJP MLA from Ramgarh Gyan Dev Ahuja said the law and order situation in the state has broken down completely. “The BJP government in the state besides shedding tears and showing grief over rape of small girls, murder and hate crimes, can’t do anything more.”

Congress leaders, including former Union minister and parliamentarian Jitendra Singh, district Congress chief Tikaram Juli and local leaders met the victim’s family members and assured them that if the culprits were not arrested within the next 48 hours, the party will launch an agitation against the Alwar police.